The Great Silence is a vexing problem we all love to speculate and argue about, but it’s not the most intuitive concept. This wonderful animated video by Kurz Gesagt explains the problem that is the Fermi Paradox and why our apparent isolation in the galaxy is so damned weird. »5/07/15 11:20am 5/07/15 11:20am

A pioneering infrared scan of 100,000 galaxies by Penn State astronomers has failed to detect any signs of galaxy-spanning extraterrestrial supercivilizations. This result, though very preliminary, may be a sign that aliens aren't capable of conquering entire galaxies. »4/15/15 9:00am 4/15/15 9:00am

A new analysis of Cassini spacecraft data points to the distinct possibility that Saturn's icy moon Enceladus exhibits hydrothermal activity on its seafloor. It's a discovery that significantly bolsters the moon's status as a potentially habitable object.»3/12/15 8:20am 3/12/15 8:20am

Should E.T. finally give Earth a ring, it's not only important to understand what the message says but why it is being sent, a speaker at a talk about extraterrestrials urged this week. This requires understanding about alien social behavior, which, one analyst argues, is an extension of alien biology. »10/05/14 9:30am 10/05/14 9:30am

Our planet has some pretty intense environments, ranging from dense ice to molten rock — and they all play host to some form of life. What do extremophiles — creatures that live in unimaginable conditions — tell us about the very nature, and limits, of life?»8/06/14 1:02pm 8/06/14 1:02pm

It's generally agreed that liquid water and a stable atmosphere are the minimal requirements for life. But new research shows that oceans play a vital role in stabilizing and moderating climates on Earth-like planets.»7/23/14 9:30am 7/23/14 9:30am

An international team of astronomers has announced the discovery of a potentially-habitable Super-Earth around the nearby red dwarf star Gliese 832. Located 16 light-years from Earth, it's considered one of the closest and best habitable-world candidates so far. »6/25/14 2:20pm 6/25/14 2:20pm

There may be as many as 100 million habitable worlds in the Milky Way. But just what, exactly, are the requirements for life? And what are the environmental extremes that life can handle? A new checklist for the habitability of exoplanets attempts to answer these questions. »6/10/14 8:10am 6/10/14 8:10am

Red dwarfs stars, the most common stars in the galaxy, are bathing planets in their habitable zones with potentially deadly stellar winds, a finding that could have an impact on finding life beyond Earth. »6/03/14 8:20am 6/03/14 8:20am

A recently-finished study of Kepler data is providing a new glimpse into the Milky Way's exoplanetary composition. Planets about one to four times the size of Earth appear to be typical around Sun-like stars. But researchers say we don't know yet whether they have the potential to harbour life. »5/27/14 12:08pm 5/27/14 12:08pm

When it comes to life on Earth, we're not sure if it came from the outside (transported by comets) or on the inside. A new theory focuses on the "interior " theory, saying that microbes could have evolved from non-living matter such as chemical compounds in minerals and gases. »3/13/14 9:40am 3/13/14 9:40am

A team of astrobiologists has described a new method of detecting not just water, but life, on distant worlds. There's just one problem – the telescope we need to do it won't be on line until 2018. »3/09/14 3:30pm 3/09/14 3:30pm

Could this meteorite show evidence of ancient water and life on Mars? That's one possibility raised in a new paper led by NASA and including members of a team who made a contentious claim about Martian microfossils in another meteorite 18 years ago. »3/01/14 8:30am 3/01/14 8:30am